Human Resources Operations Manager

Overview

Human Resources Operations Manager role at California Institute of Applied Technology (CIAT). The HR Operations Manager plays a key leadership role within the Human Resources team, overseeing day-to-day HR operations and ensuring consistent, compliant, and employee-centered HR practices. This position leads team members, oversees payroll and benefits administration, and serves as the first escalation point for employee inquiries. The HR Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring smooth HR processes, data accuracy, and a positive employee experience across the organization.

Base pay range
: $83,000.00/yr - $90,000.00/yr. This range is provided by CIAT. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Work from Home (WFH) - Remote work must be performed while residing in San Diego, CA

CIAT Campus Locations: San Diego, CA and Albuquerque, NM

Reports to: VP of People & Culture

Status: Exempt

Employment Type: Full-Time

Summary: The HR Operations Manager oversees day-to-day HR operations, ensures compliant and employee-centered HR practices, leads team members, oversees payroll and benefits administration, and serves as the first escalation point for employee inquiries. This role ensures smooth HR processes, data accuracy, and a positive employee experience across the organization.

• Supervise, mentor, and develop team members, fostering a culture of accountability, service, and growth
• Partner with the VP of People & Culture to ensure cohesive communication and alignment across all HR functions
• Build and maintain healthy and professional relationships with all team members
• Act as a mentor and a resource for HR team members on day-to-day processes, policies, and systems
• Share best practices and help develop training materials and reference guides for HR team

• Manage accurate and timely execution of onboarding, offboarding, employee changes, and HRIS data management
• Oversee documentation and compliance in personnel files, benefits administration, and timekeeping processes
• Ensure payroll changes are processed accurately and timely in coordination with accounting when necessary
• Manage annual open enrollment and benefits renewals, working closely with brokers and carriers to ensure high-quality employee experiences

• Provide guidance and coaching to managers on day-to-day employee relations matters
• Conduct or support investigations and documentation of employee concerns in collaboration with the VP
• Ensure consistent policy interpretation and application across all departments

• Ensure adherence to all state and federal labor laws, including wage and hour, benefits, and leave compliance across multiple states
• Partner with others on internal audits, reporting, and compliance initiatives
• Support data integrity within the HRIS and manage periodic audits for accuracy
• Oversees the completion of audits including but not limited to: worker’s compensation, 401(k) plan audit and NDT testing and others
• Partner with team members and management to ensure smooth onboarding for new hires, including orientation, system access, and compliance documentation
• Collaborate with hiring managers to streamline recruiting and selection processes
• Support creation and execution of training plans for new hires to ensure successful integration into CIAT’s culture and operations

• Oversee and manage employee separations, ensuring compliance with state and federal laws
• Track exit feedback, and provide data and recommendations to the VP for process improvement
• Ensure proper completion of final pay, benefits continuation, and retrieval of company assets, in partnership with IT
• Document all offboarding activities in personnel files for compliance purposes

• Streamline HR workflows and ensure operational efficiency and consistency
• Develop and maintain HR metrics, dashboards, and process documentation
• Identify opportunities to improve employee experience through technology, automation, and communication

• Promote CIAT’s culture of fairness, consistency,…